E3 2015: Running Man meets Portal in Attractio

While taking a tour of Namco Bandai’s behind closed door areas, I got to play many of their upcoming titles like Naruto SUN 4, Godzilla, and even the new Sword Art Online. However, none captured my attention like this smaller title called Attractio. Developed by Game Coder and recently acquired by Bandai Namco, this futuristic puzzle platformer draws its gameplay inspiration from games like Portal, while also being inspired by futuristic stories like those similar to Running Man.

The story is set in the future and follows three characters trying to find a better life for themselves. They do this by competing in this televised game of knowledge, skill, and physical ability that will reward successful contestants with grand prizes, but only death for those that fail during the trials. Each character features their own unique puzzles with gravity altering mechanics. Mia, a police woman from Mars, will utilize gravity boots to swap her personal gravity to traverse the puzzles and mazes. Keir gets a gravity gun that he can use to manipulate the gravity of specific boxes to help him reach distant areas or activate switches from afar. And from what I sampled of Dalek, his puzzles focused on manipulation of crates and their gravity using switches, force fields, and gravity crates.

The level designs in this title is fantastic and feels expertly crafted and well balanced. Each time I walked into a new room, it made me go into the same thought process. First I would search for the exit gate, following that I would determine what obstacles are preventing me from getting there whether it be lasers, a force field or maybe a pit that I must figure out how to cross. The third step was me standing still and processing all the information before moving on. While some puzzle games make it obvious about the defined solution for your puzzle, Attractio instead expands on this idea and allows creativity to flourish, giving you subtle clues on the multiple ways to solve each puzzle. The platforming element is also done well. Everything I did just felt right, from me edging myself closer to the tip of a ledge so that I could attempt a death defying leap of faith across a pit or even just using a box to climb to areas that would be unreachable otherwise. The developer also mentioned that throughout the campaign, the characters will intersect at sections and you will need to swap control in order for them all to progress, adding another level of depth to the puzzle design.

Overall Attractio is well developed. Not only is it intelligent, but it makes you feel intelligent when you solve their puzzles. And on top of that, it’s just plain fun to have another puzzle platformer that tests your intelligence and dexterity. If you enjoyed Portal and have been searching for the next puzzle platformer, then you can subscribe to get updates on information and release dates as they are announced.

Attractio is currently on Steam GreenLight and scheduled to release in the Fall for PC, with PS4 and PS Vita versions to follow soon after.